IPL 2026: SWOT analysis of Delhi Capitals - Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities, and Threats

After an inconsistent IPL 2025 campaign impacted by instability at the top order and patchy bowling support, Delhi Capitals used the mini-auction to fix the gaps and come far more settled at the 2026 season. Entering the IPL 2026 mini-auction with a purse of INR 21.8 crore and a mostly sorted playing XI. The franchise released several players who failed to deliver consistently last year, including Faf du Plessis and Jake Fraser-McGurk, both of whom were part of an unstable opening unit last season.

DC also moved on from options such as Donovan Ferreira, Mohit Sharma, and Darshan Nalkande to free up budget and squad space. At the auction, they secured David Miller and Ben Duckett at the base price, addressing finishing and opening needs at minimal cost. Pathum Nissanka and Prithvi Shaw were added to directly solve last season’s biggest issue of a solid opening pair. 

The major investment was uncapped all-rounder Auqib Nabi Dar, signed for INR 8.4 crore. They also strengthened their squad with Lungi Ngidi and Kyle Jamieson, both bought at the base price. Notably, DC retained core of KL Rahul, Axar Patel, Tristan Stubbs, Kuldeep Yadav, and Mitchell Starc. Furthermore, they traded in Nitish Rana from the Rajasthan Royals.

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Strengths

In IPL 2025, DC struggled due to constant experimentation, especially at the top. Eight different opening combinations showcased their poor planning. This season, the presence of Ben Duckett, Pathum Nissanka, and Prithvi Shaw gives DC solid options based on conditions.

The middle order is significantly stronger. David Miller’s addition alongside Tristan Stubbs and Ashutosh Sharma fixes the late-overs collapse problem seen last year. Notably, bowling remains DC’s strongest department. Starc, Kuldeep, and T Natarajan form a brilliant wicket-taking trio. Furthermore, Auqib Nabi Dar is expected to be their X factor.

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Weaknesses

While the opening options are better on paper, there is no guaranteed first-choice pairing yet. Duckett, Nissanka, and Shaw all come with form instability that could grab attention if results go wrong. The pace bowling depth relies heavily on overseas quicks. If Starc or Ngidi are unavailable or off form, DC may again struggle, similar to IPL 2025 when Mukesh Kumar lacked consistency at the death. Another concern is Auqib Nabi Dar’s price tag. At INR 8.4 crore, expectations will be high for an uncapped player. If he fails to translate domestic form into IPL impact, DC could face balance issues.

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Opportunities

IPL 2026 presents DC with a clear opportunity to finally convert potential into consistency. The stable Indian core will allow the team to build combinations rather than reshuffling every game, unlike last season. KL Rahul’s flexibility will once again be a major talking point. He can open or anchor at No. 3, something DC lacked in IPL 2025. Players like Stubbs, Ashutosh, and Vipraj Nigam have different roles, giving DC better clarity. Auqib Nabi Dar provides long-term value if he develops into a reliable power-play enforcer. His domestic numbers show his wicket-taking intent, an area DC badly missed last year.

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Threats

The biggest threat to the Delhi Capitals remains execution under pressure. In IPL 2025, DC often lost close matches due to poor death bowling and batting collapses. Results will depend on decision-making in crucial moments. Over-reliance on overseas players could hurt the balance if injuries take place. If early results go against them, DC risk slipping back into frequent changes, the same pattern that derailed their IPL 2025 season. 

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Delhi Capitals squad for IPL 2026

Axar Patel (c), KL Rahul, Abishek Porel, Tristan Stubbs, Karun Nair, Sameer Rizvi, Ashutosh Sharma, Vipraj Nigam, Madhav Tiwari, Tripurana Vijay, Ajay Mandal, Kuldeep Yadav, Mitchell Starc, T. Natarajan, Mukesh Kumar, Dushmantha Chameera,  Nitish Rana, David Miller, Ben Duckett, Auqib Nabi Dar, Pathum Nissanka, Lungi Ngidi, Sahil Parakh, Prithvi Shaw, Kyle Jamieson,